From Tribe to Thread: The Story of Saudi Style

What inspired you to curate Costumes of Saudi Arabia?

Our first project together included curating a physical exhibition of Saudi heritage costumes in Riyadh in 2019 for the Ministry of Culture, and to accompany it, we wrote and published a supporting catalogue. Since that moment we had been seeking a publisher who could produce a more permanent documentation of the incredible fashion pieces that we were able to pull together. For us, this book has been a labour of love and also long-time in the making. We were both part of the creation of Saudi’s national fashion strategy when we worked at the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture. The ambition there was to build an ecosystem for the future of fashion in the Kingdom, and we wanted to make sure that that could be built on a solid foundation, and accordingly we immersed ourselves in seeking knowledge and building an information archive about Saudi’s fashion heritage.

How does the book reflect your perspectives on Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage and its evolution?

The book’s creation offered an opportunity to showcase the rich history of fashion across the Kingdom, where clothes identified the provenance of the wearer. Fashion was distinctive, not only from region to region but from tribe to tribe. When writing the book we included information so that readers would be able to ascertain not only where a costume was from, but the socio-economic position of its wearer, if they could identify its fabric, colour, length and cut. In terms of evolution, we are pleased to present a visual walkthrough of Saudi’s fashion heritage that is vibrant in colours! The name of our exhibition in 2019 was “The Hidden Kaleidoscope” because we wanted to showcase all the rich hues and tones that dominated Saudi dress in the last century.

How does the book reflect your perspectives on Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage and its evolution?

The book’s creation offered an opportunity to showcase the rich history of fashion across the Kingdom, where clothes identified the provenance of the wearer. Fashion was distinctive, not only from region to region but from tribe to tribe. When writing the book we included information so that readers would be able to ascertain not only where a costume was from, but the socio-economic position of its wearer, if they could identify its fabric, colour, length and cut. In terms of evolution, we are pleased to present a visual walkthrough of Saudi’s fashion heritage that is vibrant in colours! The name of our exhibition in 2019 was “The Hidden Kaleidoscope” because we wanted to showcase all the rich hues and tones that dominated Saudi dress in the last century.

What challenges did you face while documenting the vast diversity of Saudi Arabian costumes across regions and time periods?

The main challenge was the curation of the critical pieces. The clothes shown in this book don’t come from one national collection, rather they are owned by individuals who live all over the Kingdom. We travelled the entire country to source all the pieces, liaising with personalities and logistics to bring it all together. Most of the pieces have never been seen in public before and certainly never featured in a book.

In the end we had to shoot the clothes in more than one studio, in more than one city, because it was easier for us and the photography crew to travel than the clothes. As the pieces are old, their care was of utmost importance.

What’s the most surprising detail about Saudi Arabian costumes?

What might be most surprising for readers is the story that each garment tells. The fabric used and the patterns embroidered on it tell stories about trade routes of the time in which they were made. For example, garments from the eastern part of the Kingdom have more influence from India and Asia, as the fabrics that arrived there came on trade routes from those countries. Meanwhile the fashions of the north are crafted from hardier fabrics such as woven sheep’s wool, to accommodate the colder winter temperatures. If you know what to look for, each item tells a story and we hope this book is a guide to decipher such insights.

Did you discover any “hidden gems” during your research— forgotten traditions or rare garments?

Our book doesn’t just include fashion clothing, we also sourced a range of accessories such as jewellery and head pieces and bags. Amongst these are some “kohl” vessels.

“Kohl” is the dark eyeliner traditionally used by women, and the holders we found were embellished by fabric and stuffing and decoration, becoming fashion items in their own right.

Is there anything else you’d like to share that you feel is important to highlight from the book?

We’d like to thank all the people who collaborated on the book with us. The end result, this beautiful volume, would not have been possible without the women and men who let us borrow their precious garments, as well as the stylists who helped us put the looks together, ensuring authenticity. In addition, contributions from our team members at our creative agency, Culture House, were invaluable.